Middletown School Officials Weigh Budget Reductions

MIDDLETOWN — School administrators said they are examining a number of cost-cutting measures to prepare for a city budget allocation likely lower than the board of education's request.

The board adopted a $78.83 million budget request for the 2014-15 fiscal year in January, but Mayor Daniel Drew's budget proposal April 1 recommends a school district allocation of $76.2 million.

"We are already looking very carefully at what we might need as a reduction in the budget we are trying very hard to preserve our teaching staff," said Superintendent Patricia Charles.

The school board discussed its budget situation at its April 8 meeting. The common council will hold three nights of budget hearings in April, and the board is scheduled to appear April 22 to make its case for the funding request. The council, which has final authority over the city budget, must adopt a budget by May 15.

Charles said the district will switch to a self-funded insurance plan that will save $827,000, and will offer an early retirement incentive for teachers.

She said at the board's March meeting that 15 teachers have 35 years or more of service. The incentive would allow the district to hire new teachers are much lower salaries, potentially at huge savings each year.

"You hate to lose all of that knowledge all at once but it's a way [to save]," Charles said.

Class sizes next school year are one of the biggest concerns, the superintendent said. Staff may be realigned at smaller schools to make sure all grade levels have reasonable class sizes.

"We have a need probably for four, possibly five additional teachers," Charles said. "There's no substitute for the proper class size so we're looking at that."

Associate Superintendent Enza Macri said the district's application to the state for its projected $2.899 million in Alliance funding was due Friday. Alliance funding is given to districts in need of improvement, and if the state approves, districts can use the funding for a variety of curriculum enhancement projects and programs.

Board Chairman Eugene Nocera said the board will meet with the mayor and common council April 29 for a workshop about shared services, including finance, payroll and purchasing functions.

Nocera said the session will be a "productive and frank discussion."

"The purpose of course is the increase efficiency, to cut costs and to share services," he said. "We hope to make changes that better our community."